Mexico coach Herrera slams Gold Cup travel conditions

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Coach Miguel Herrera claims Mexico are the biggest draw at the CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States but have not been given the treatment he feels they deserve at the tournament.

Herrera criticized the conditions under which his team were forced to travel from New York to Atlanta for Wednesday's semi-final against Panama at the Georgia Dome.

"Mexico is the team that fills the stadiums and we are not being treated well... We should be getting more consideration," Herrera told reporters.

"We had to wait three hours, then they packed two teams (into the plane) and CONCACAF people, I don't know why. We were all squashed," he added of Monday's arduous trip.

"Our luggage had to go by land because of too much weight on the plane... They say we're carrying too much but we're the ones who put most fans in the stadiums.

"During the flight, the players were squeezed in and that can't be. We played extra time and the players shouldn't have to wait so long (at the airport) and travel in those conditions."

Mexico beat Costa Rica 1-0 after extra time at the MetLife in New Jersey on Sunday to reach the last four.

Hosts and title holders the United States face Jamaica in the other semi-final, also in Atlanta on Wednesday.

(Additional reporting by Carlos Calvo in Mexico City; Writing by Rex Gowar; Editing by John O'Brien)